US rejoins Geneva Consensus Declaration, affirming ‘inherent right to life’ for ‘every human being’

In a diplomatic note dated January 24, 2025, the United States Mission to the United Nations announced that the U.S. has rejoined the Geneva Consensus Declaration, which affirms that “every human being has the inherent right to life.”

The Geneva Consensus Declaration was launched in October 2020, and now boasts 40 signatory countries. In addition to declaring that abortion is not an international right, it also declares that there is no international obligation to promote or fund abortion. According to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), “it further emphasizes holistic strategies for advancing women’s health and well-being, including maternal care, education, and economic development.”

Though the U.S. was one of its founding members, President Joe Biden withdrew the country from the agreement shortly after taking office in January 2021. Now, President Trump has made rejoining the agreement one of his initial policy changes, along with reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which halts U.S. taxpayer funding of international abortions.

“The Trump Administration is committed to supporting families, promoting women’s health, and protecting children at all stages of life,” read a White House statement. “The United States will pursue these objectives in cooperation with member states in the UN system and through our continued shared ambition for improved health for women and girls.”

READ: United Nations event promotes maternal health, pro-life consensus

Elyssa Koren, an international human rights lawyer for ADF International, also commented on the news.

“By rejoining the Geneva Consensus Declaration and reinstating the expanded Mexico City Policy, the United States is committing to advancing a pro-life stance on the world stage, making clear that there is no so-called international ‘human right’ to abortion. This is a massive shift away from the virulent abortion promotion that characterized the Biden administration’s international engagement, particularly in the developing world,” Koren said.

“The United States is saying no to the imposition of abortion pressure on sovereign nations. Rejoining the Geneva Consensus Declaration is sure to have a profound effect on governments that are trying to uphold their pro-life laws in the midst of extreme pressure from the pro-abortion lobby. Further, returning the U.S. to the coalition carries significant legal weight in that it prevents the emergence of a false ‘human right’ to abortion by customary international law.”